The present invention relates to a video signal recording/reproducing apparatus including means for eliminating both crosstalk and tracking error.
It has recently been desired to improve the recording density of video signals. In a home VTR, guardbands between the video tracks are eliminated, so that the video tracks are arranged adjacent to each other. When a tracking error of a reproduction head occurs in the reproduction mode, crosstalk occurs between the adjacent tracks. The crosstalk can be cancelled by a phase inverting type recording/reproducing system using correlation between the video tracks. According to this phase inverting recording/reproducing system, video signals are recorded in different phases on the adjacent video tracks. Specifically, normal video signals are recorded on first tracks (e.g., odd field tracks), whereas signals are recorded on second tracks (e.g., even field tracks) such that their phases are inverted in every 1H. In the reproduction mode, the phase of the reproduction signal recorded on the second track is inverted every 1H so as to convert it back to the normal video signal. Thereafter, the reproduction signal from the each track is synthesized with a corresponding 1H delay signal. As a result, the relationship between the phases of the signals recorded on the adjacent tracks becomes inverted, thus cancelling the crosstalk described above.
Although crosstalk can be cancelled, the tracking error is still present. For this reason, the information content of the video signal is decreased, and, inevitably, degradation of the image quality cannot be prevented. A technique has conventionally been proposed to detect and compensate for a tracking error. However, a technique has not yet been proposed to compensate for a tracking error and to cancel crosstalk.